hope the guy is alright. i don't think there are too many kiters out there flying 16 meter kites in 25kn winds anymore. matter of fact i have not seen a 16 meter kite on our beaches in a while. with a modern kite and board even a big guy should be able to get away with a 9m - 11m. avoiding the top end of the wind range of huge slow kites is probably not a bad idea.

The wind prior to the squall had been about 10 to 14 mph (or about 9 to 12 knots). When a squall comes no one has any idea what sort of wind change may come with it. It may stay the same, it may increase by 2, 3 or even 4 times, it may just die or combination's of all three outcomes.

This was less about deciding to ride in 25 kts. with a 16 m kite, bad idea I agree, but more about exposing yourself to a squall. By waiting to Emergency Depower until after he was lofted he lost his option to avoid being taken for a ride. Best thing is to be down and secured well before the squall even arrives, consistently.

Too many people ignore hazardous weather these days. Some will mess up their kites, some may be badly scared by a close incident, some will be hurt and some will die for ignoring these obvious hazards. It is all about making good informed choices. Stories like this are intended to raise awareness and improve the way we approach this great sport.

hope the guy is alright. i don't think there are too many kiters out there flying 16 meter kites in 25kn winds anymore. matter of fact i have not seen a 16 meter kite on our beaches in a while. with a modern kite and board even a big guy should be able to get away with a 9m - 11m. avoiding the top end of the wind range of huge slow kites is probably not a bad idea.

I can't tell you how many times I have seen this scenario (lofting or dragging) play out.
I am in Fl. We have a situation here where it can commonly go from 12 knots to 25 plus, sometimes 30 plus with thermal cooling and easterlies during a certain time a year (fall). The drastic wind speed change usually occurs within one minute, it's not gradual.
No "ominous" storm clouds are seen prior. Clouds are seen though, and for riders with experience, this pattern is semi-obvious . To someone without local experience, it can be a nightmare. In 12 knots, usually a big kite is rigged. So, this particular weather pattern has "blown away" unsuspecting kiters here literally dozens of times over the years. A few resulted in pretty serious injury, Rick remembers the power lines incident, I am sure.

What blows me away (well, hopefully it won't.. chuckle )is the more obvious storm cell activity of summer that we get here. This stuff isn't rocket science and doesn't require local knowledge to avoid.
Still, just 2 weeks ago I saw a lesson being given with a cell approaching. The cell contained gusts of 50 knots just prior to it coming through. If you live in FL, you see plenty of poor decisions regarding weather.

As much as I appreciate Rick's efforts, it doesn't seem to have much impact on riders around here.

Still, just 2 weeks ago I saw a lesson being given with a cell approaching. The cell contained gusts of 50 knots just prior to it coming through. If you live in FL, you see plenty of poor decisions regarding weather.

As much as I appreciate Rick's efforts, it doesn't seem to have much impact on riders around here.

Kevin Kearney must have been giving that lesson. "So you go this way to get to see the turtles........yeah, straight toward the thunderstorms over there". Come on florida kiters, you guys are going to lose all your access. I know the wind sucks in the summer and it's tempting to go out, but it seems like there are more incidents in that area than anywhere else. Correct me if I am wrong.

I was there the day Sarcasm is talking about and glad to say myself and my students were off the water long before that. I try to err on the side of caution (i.e.=common sense)

I have also had students and their parents trying to dictate to me that its OK to go out in this stuff. Those are the ones I refuse to teach. (that kid selling the 13 Ozone is a prime example) You should have seen the nasty, overly threatening email I got from his mother! She tried to "wordsmith" me with lawyerspeak and threats......someone really should have warned her.......Of course, I forwarded it to my pubilcist, "Edgar Alan BoBo" and never got a reply!

One thing I can easily say on here, KBTB does always error on safety and has always taught his students with safety in mind. Wish I could say that for all the local instructors.
Geez, I once saw another one put a guy up with an approaching lightning storm. (Wish I had this on tape). This is no lie.
The lightning was so close, that the guy was getting zapped the instant the kite went up.

The instructor allowed him to launch (on land) with black skies in the background.
Everyone else had hopped off the water. The instant the kite went up, the guy was getting zapped every time he stepped down. He starting running downwind, not knowing how to stop getting shocked, and with every step - ZAP ZAP... ZAP... then he let the kite go and we got it out of the trees. It was the funniest (and most pathetic) thing I have ever seen.

Anyway, just making the point that riders (and even some) instructors don't seem to ever get it. Weather is a real threat in FL and b/c so many don't care, we will always read about loftings, etc.
It's just how it is.

I keep waiting for one of those lightning bolts to take out that annoying vulture that keeps hovering around down there preying on innocent bystanders. That large beak and squawking sound is kinda scary, ya know.....